Guided Iceland Circle - 8 Days / 7 Nights

Join an amazing escorted bus tour around Iceland. Explore the island of fire and ice and travel on Iceland's ring road. Discover stunning scenery and dramatic landscapes. A local expert guide helps you explore the unspoiled Icelandic countryside with volcanoes, lava fields, hot springs, mountains, fjords, glaciers and waterfalls. This escorted tour takes you both to classic nature hotspots and lesser-known sights. The tour includes several soft adventures and cultural visits. Some outdoor activities might differ between seasons depending on weather and road conditions.

Highlights and Experiences:
• Escorted coach tour around Iceland's ring road
• Visit two national parks
• Included are visits to small local museums, cultural experiences and soft adventures
• Excellent value for money!

NOTE: During the off season, from September to May, in rare cases, a change of itinerary might be necessary especially for winter programs in Iceland, should snow, road and weather conditions not allow to follow the scheduled itinerary, and certain outdoor activities/day trips might be cancelled. In this case no refund will be given, but our supplier will try to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.

If you like to have more time to explore Reykjavik, then we suggest adding a pre- or post night in Iceland's capital.

Departures

DEPARTURES 2018: Every Tuesday & Friday all year round
DURATION: 8 days / 7 nights
TOUR START: Arrival in Iceland is on Tuesdays or Fridays. Guided bus tour starts on Wednesdays or Saturdays at 09:00
END OF TOUR: The guided tour ends on Mondays or Thursdays between 16:00-18:00 for a last overnight in Reykjavík. Departure from Iceland is on Tuesdays or Fridays.

Itinerary

Click on the map to enlarge

Day 1, TUE or FRI: WELCOME to ICELAND (50 km)

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik Airport to Icelandair Hotel Natura in Reykjavík where you spend the night. We provide you with ideas how to explore Iceland's capital on your own. Dinner suggestions as well! Overnight at Icelandair Hotel Natura or similar.

Day 2, WED or SAT: VOLCANO CRATER, SEALS, FJORDS & MOUNTAINS (425 km)

At 09:00 meet our tour guide and depart from Icelandair Hotel Natura. Travel west, passing the town of Borgarnes and climb the Grábrók volcano crater. In the afternoon visit a natural history & seal museum in a small fishing village in Northwest Iceland and stroll around the local harbour. Further north we stop at the turf church of Víðimýri which has been extensively restored to its original form and is widely considered one of the purest and most beautiful examples of traditional Icelandic architecture. We continue along scenic fjord landscape and over several mountain passes until we reach Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. Overnight location at Icelandair Hotel Akureyri or similar.Included Meals: B

In the morning we explore Akureyri, a charming town of 17000 inhabitants, visit the botanical garden and enjoy the panoramic view over Eyjafjörður fjord. In the afternoon we travel to an important spot in Iceland's history, Goðafoss, the waterfalls of the Gods. We continue to Lake Mývatn which is known for its geological wonders and active bird life during summer. We stop at the bizarre lava formations at Kálfaströnd followed by a walk around the many pseudo craters and end an exciting day with a relaxing soak at Mývatn Nature Baths that contains a unique blend of minerals, silicates and geothermal micro-organisms. The warm soothing waters benefit both skin and spirit alike. Overnight location at Sel-Hotel Mývatn or similar.Included Meals: BD

Day 4, FRI or MON: LAVA LABYRINTH, HOT SPRINGS & TRAVEL EAST (250 km)

In the morning we hike in a lava labyrinth at Dimmuborgir "the dark castles", hoping to get a glimpse of the trolls who are said to live there. After an optional lunch we visit the hot spring area of Námaskarð with bubbling mud pools and steaming solfataras. We head through the uninhabited highlands and moonlike surrounding to East Iceland.
With some luck we might spot an Arctic fox or see reindeer. From June to August the tour includes a detour to Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall in the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park. Overnight location at Icelandair Hotel Hérað or similar.Included Meals: BD

Day 5, SAT or TUE: FJORDS, GLACIER AND ICE (470 km)

It's a day to admire the dramatic fjord landscape and its tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads in the East Fjords and on route we visit an interesting stone and mineral collection. In the afternoon we see Vatnajökull – Europe's biggest glacier that is visible all over Southeast Iceland. Past the town of Höfn, we stop at Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and we explore the extraordinary site and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sandy beach where large icebergs get stranded. Depending on the season optional boat trips are available. We travel along the southern part of the glacier Vatnajökull and spend time at Europe's largest national park, which has Iceland's highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe's largest glacier. Overnight location at Icelandair Hotel Kirkjubæjarklaustur or similar.Included Meals: BD

Day 6, SUN or WED: SOUTH COAST (240 km)

A beautiful drive with many natural wonders awaits us today as we head across the Eldhraun lava field, cross the sandy desert of the south coast, overlooked by mountainous cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls. We stroll along the black lava beach of Reynisfjara near Vík. In the small village of Skógar there is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. Further west we stop at the Eyjafjallajökull Information Center and learn about living next to a glacier and an active volcano. We continue to the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges over the mountain. There is an interesting trail that goes behind the fall – if you are prepared to get wet! Overnight location is at Icelandair Hotel Flúðir or similar.Included Meals: BD

Day 7, MON or THU: ICELANDIC HORSES & GOLDEN CIRCLE (160 km)(

We explore classics today as we travel the route of the Golden Circle sights. We start the day at Friðheimar, where you learn about the Icelandic horse, its special qualities and history and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Later on we see steam from the Geysir geothermal fields as we arrive. There is a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. The original geyser is now dormant but has been replaced by Strokkur "the Churn" which erupts at 5-10 minute intervals. We continue to Gullfoss, "the golden falls", which is a double waterfall that tumbles 34 meters into the Hvítá river and attracts travelers in summer and winter. We travel inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. As we return to Reykjavík, we take you for a short city tour to show highlights of the world's northernmost capital. Overnight is at Icelandair Hotel Natura or similar.Included Meals: B

Day 8, TUE or FRI: DEPARTURE HOME (50 km)

Dates & Pricing

Travel Dates

Per Person Sharing Twin(from)

Single Room Supplement(from)

Local Fee

Price varies by season. Contact us with your specific travel date.

Choose Currency:

Departures

DEPARTURES 2018: Every Tuesday & Friday all year round
DURATION: 8 days / 7 nights
TOUR START: Arrival in Iceland is on Tuesdays or Fridays. Guided bus tour starts on Wednesdays or Saturdays at 09:00
END OF TOUR: The guided tour ends on Mondays or Thursdays between 16:00-18:00 for a last overnight in Reykjavík. Departure from Iceland is on Tuesdays or Fridays.

NATURE FEES: There is a possibility that some of the nature attractions around Iceland might charge an entrance fee during the trip. These entrance fees are not included in the tour price and need to be paid by all tour members additionally on the spot, when entering any of these nature sites. Locations, amount of entrance fee, form of payment and other details are not known at the present time and are subject to change.

Not Included

Notes

DAILY DRIVING: Total mileage without airport transfer is 1,665 km which is an average of 278 km per day. You spend about 4 hours per day on the coach, depending on road conditions, traffic and daily distances. On some days the driving might be longer than on some other days.